


"You'll always fit in here...ahou."

by gimmekensei



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Idiots in Love, M/M, Painkillers, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24674992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gimmekensei/pseuds/gimmekensei
Summary: Saitou is left to tend to the Ahou when he's hurt again...and is left dealing with a thoughtful rooster.
Relationships: Sagara Sanosuke/Saitou Hajime
Kudos: 15





	"You'll always fit in here...ahou."

Saitou entered the bedroom quietly and sat on the edge of the futon to feel Sanosuke's temperature with one hand. "You're not running a fever yet ahou, so you should be fine in a couple of hours. Here....take these." He remarked, offering the painkillers he brought from Megumi just in case.  
  
For a change, Sanosuke took them without question, chasing them with the cool water he had in a cup provided earlier by the cop on the bedside table. He then placed Saitou’s ungloved hand back on his forehead, closing his eyes and murmuring softly, "That feels good..."  
  
The police officer’s hand was lightly chilled, probably because he'd been outside shortly before coming here and he raised an eyebrow at the comment. He looked down at the rooster and sighed quietly under his breath. “Ahou, you should get some more sleep..."

"Can't sleep... Everything hurts... Too warm..." The mercenary nuzzled against the hand on his head almost as a tamed dog would before taking it and placing it on the back of his neck, letting out a long sigh of relief. "Your hand feels great..."  
  
His hand was stuck under the idiot’s head, and his hand was cramping in some sort of mockery of him. What was the universe even testing him for?! Why was he getting all the heavenly bull-crap clusterfuck happening to him? "That would be due to the outdoor air....I was out there for a while and it's a little chilly in the mornings here..."  
  
"Mm..." That was all Sanosuke said in reply, tipping his head back and moving the other's hand around the other side of his neck and over his collarbones. It was certainly helping him feel better.... But he was currently oblivious to the other's confusion and silent observing. It didn't help that he was tired from the lack of proper rest…  
  
“Just what are you doing?” Saitou finally asked as Sanosuke continued to manipulate his hand.  
  
"Hm...?" The teenager blinked somewhat sleepily as he focused his gaze on Saitou again, then blushed a bit as he realized what he was doing. "Ah... Sorry......." Letting go of the older man’s hand, he turned to the side of the futon and placed his feet on the floor, leaning with his elbows in his knees. "..... The cold helped."  
  
Saitou was silent, not entirely sure what just happened but he stood up and then tried to play it off as everything being alright, even though his hand still cramped up.  
  
"Oi, Jime...you okay?" The teenager looked up, finally seeming to notice the cop’s discomfort. He was observant, considering his mind was clear, and it wasn't hard to tell that he'd made things awkward... And in his own special way he wanted to make up for it.  
  
"Better than you." The wolf remarked, not daring to move or it would be extremely obvious his hand had cramped. The damn brat didn't seem convinced, staring at him with that icy clear gaze as if waiting for an explanation. 

"......"  
  
"Mind your own business ahou." He uttered, clearly not wanting to deal anymore with Sanosuke’s hounding.  
  
"Uhh...." Sanosuke sighed, confused for a moment as he stood and shook his head before he stood and stretched, joints popping due to him laying around for too long. The pain medication had kicked in, and he felt the need to move around a bit. "Oi, just listen for a sec, but I feel like... I don't really fit in anywhere. I've tried opening up more, but I still tend to be afraid to get close to people. I have friends, but... It's like at times, I don't really feel. Sometimes it's...just carrying out an obligation. I get confused... What is it about me that doesn't seem to mesh with others....?" After a good stretch, he just stared at the floor, hands in his pockets as he pondered.  
  
"Getting thoughtful?" Saitou murmured with a raised eyebrow only to let out a sigh. "The matter with your wild pack of friends is of none of my concern but...." The wolf looked at the brat and walked over, having forced his body to cooperate with him as he tilted the rooster’s head to look up at him, hand on his cheek. "But you're under my care and you'll always have a home here, and you'll always fit in here...ahou."  
  
The former fighter for hire’s eyes watered at that, but he tried not to make it obvious. It was the pain from his fight earlier that was affecting him, alright?!?! He wasn’t a cry baby! Unfortunately, the last time anyone had ever been so close to him, reached out and touched him tenderly... It had been Saitou, just before they slept together the first time after Sanosuke had discovered that the cop had been in fact alive and well. A one night stand only though…  
  
"I... Thank you." His voice wavered slightly, the memory that came to the forefront of his mind sending him spiraling down into that constant cycle of confusion, denial, and more confusion. He didn't know what to do with himself, besides doing the usual....which was horribly hiding whatever he was feeling at all costs.

Saitou noticed the reaction from Sanosuke and was incredibly confused by what exactly was going through the rooster’s head, so he kept his hand positioned against the fist-fighter’s warm cheek. "....do I need to get that vixen to come check on you again?"  
  
"I-I'm fine... Don't worry. I'm fine." He just stood there, just as clueless as Saitou; He'd never known what it was like to have a proper father. He'd never learned how to be a proper son. Let alone how to be a proper partner. “I'm okay..."  
  
After a moment, Saitou caught himself brushing the ahou’s bangs out of his face. "Ahou ga...Hn..you look like you're about to cry."  
  
"I'm not...!" He looked away shyly, stuffing a hand into his side pocket. "I just... What you said.... It means a lot."  
  
"You don't look it." Saitou met his eyes as he said this, that normally frosty gaze having softened considerably since he first arrived back to town alive. Somehow, he had already formed a bond with this brat without him even realizing it....  
  
“Lay back down ahou and stay the night. We can talk about this in the morning.”  
  
“Eh...only if you feed me in the morning.”  
  
“Hn….ahou.”  
  
“That a yes?”  
  
“Obviously, idiot.”


End file.
